Austin Public Health has notified local health care providers in Travis County Medical Society advising them to follow the new federal recommendation to halt use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
According to APH, the pause will be in effect while the CDC and the FDA review data of six reported cases in the U.S. of a rare form of bloot clot, called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination with the Johnson & Johnson shot.
“The majority of vaccine that APH has received is Moderna, and this pause will not impact our vaccine hub operations,” said Dr. Mark Escott, Interim Austin-Travis County Health Authority. “The limited doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that we have received has been utilized for focused vaccine operations, and our staff immediately halted its use following this morning’s announcement.”
The Texas Department of State Health Services stated that none of the cases of blood clots reported have occurred in Texas, where more than 500,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been administered.
